Wednesday, September 02, 2015

Writing Prompts for Great Grant Writing (or any nonprofit writing)

It’s a crowded marketplace for grant proposals. Many foundation
program officers have dozens (if not more) proposals to consider, and
they have to make tough choices about which ones to pass along to their
trustees. How can you make your grant proposal “stick”? How can you make
it more memorable, so that it will stand out from the pack?
Based on my more than two decades experience working in philanthropy,
I firmly believe that part of the answer is in an unexpected source:
CREATIVITY. Telling stories, using unexpected language, and crafting a
fresh approach engages the reader (a foundation officer or trustee) and
can help your proposal float to the top of the pile.
I also know, from years of experience, that my own writing can
sometimes get stale. I may find myself writing the same sentences, using
the same phrases, and constructing proposals in the same ways, over and
over. Even I can get bored with my own writing! That’s when I turn to
creative writing prompts to shake things up. Here are a few prompts –
focused on nonprofits and grant writing – that will enliven your writing
and your creative spirit.Grant writing creative prompts:

What if the need for your program didn’t exist?

Set a timer for 60 seconds. Write as many words as you can think of that describe your organization. No phrases, just words.

Talk to me like I’m 5: Explain your organization’s work to a five year old child.

These prompts can help anyone in your organization (marketing team,
Executive Director, board members, and more) think creatively about how
they describe your organization and its work. Take a few of them for a
spin, and see if they set off some creative sparks!

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PITCH: Fundraising and Philanthropy Consulting

Philanthropy is a credo, a calling, and a source of creativity and inspiration. PITCH provides fundraising consulting services to individuals and organizations in the non-profit community -- grantwriting, training, and strategic planning. PITCH also provides philanthropy consulting to donors of every wish and wallet -- whether they are donating $50 or $50,000.